Helen Dalton savoured a win four years in the making on Saturday night.
The independent was resoundingly returned as the Member for Murray with an increased majority.
As of 1pm on Sunday, Mrs Dalton had 48.45 per cent of first preference votes (13,329).
That represented a swing of nearly 10 per cent to the incumbent and away from the Nationals candidate Peta Betts.
Mrs Dalton, who was elected as a member of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party in 2019, becomes the first independent elected in the electorate since Joe Lawson in 1971.
“I’m feeling really good, it was a great result for us and I’m looking forward to the next four years,” she told The Riv.
“There were two years during the pandemic where we were all locked in bedrooms, which delayed a lot of the progress I was hoping to make. I’m hoping for a more normal time this time around.”
Mrs Dalton watched the election coverage with supporters at a hotel in Griffith.
“We set up a TV so we could see the vote count and organised some food and drink for our supporters.
“I really appreciate all the supporters who have given me a hand through this election.”
While it was good news for Mrs Dalton, The Nationals were left lamenting after the gamble on Ms Betts, the current Edward River Mayor, failed to pay off.
Her first preference vote was tracking at 26.34 per cent (7247 votes) at 1pm on Sunday, well shy of the 35.22 per cent figure garnered by Austin Evans in 2019.
Little-known outside of the Edward River council area and elusive when it came to interviews with print media, Ms Betts’ lack of profile hit home across the electorate.
Of the 42 booths counted, Mrs Dalton won 41, with Ms Betts’ only success at Coleambally.
Mrs Dalton was asked whether she had any doubts about winning?
“You just never know with the National Party and I never take anything for granted,” she said.
“All I did was kept working hard and making sure that I told people what we have already achieved and what we hope to now get done.”
Mrs Dalton said she was focused on the next four years and outlined her policy agenda.
“Looking forward to now getting stuck into those five key areas of improvement — healthcare, education, infrastructure (including roads, rail, bridges and digital connectivity), housing shortages and labour shortages,” she said.
“I’ve already had assurances from Labor that they will be taking a look at our health districts and demerging some of our schools.
“I don’t like governments that procrastinate. We’ve got the money in the budget (for Moama Police Station) and we want to get on with the job.
“Over the past 10 or even 20 years water management has been favouring politics rather than the community and environment and we’re seeing that right now with fish kill. It’s mismanagement.”
But it will be interesting to see how much influence Mrs Dalton and her fellow independents can exert from the crossbench with Labor set to govern in majority after winning 47 seats in the 93-seat assembly.
Labor's gains included key seats in Western Sydney, including Parramatta and Penrith.
Labor’s Murray candidate Max Buljubasic attracted 8.68 per cent of the vote and sat in third spot.
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers contender Desiree Gregory was polling at 5.38 per cent.
Then followed Adrian Carle (Legalise Cannabis Party) 3.95 per cent, David Landini (Independent) 2.97 per cent, Amelia King (Greens) 1.76 per cent, Kevin Farrell (Public Education Party) 0.93 per cent, Michael Florance (Sustainable Australia Party) 0.89 per cent and Greg Adamson (Independent) 0.64 per cent.